Ford Transit Custom review

A new version of the UK’s best-selling vehicle is a big deal – and when the new model is the Ford Transit Custom it’s arguably even more important.

The Transit Custom has been one of the best-selling vans since its launch, and is part of more than half a century of Ford Transit dominance at the top of the commercial vehicle bestsellers list.

Ford has built this latest-generation Custom on new underpinnings that are lighter than before, with a longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and back wheels), to make more space for batteries in the electric van version – the Ford E-Transit Custom. The revised front end is said to be 13% more aerodynamic than the previous version's, to aid efficiency.

The range includes a panel van in two lengths (L1 and L2), a double cab-in-van version and a new derivative called MultiCab that allows you to transport up to five people but still move larger items in a self-contained loadspace.

So does the new Ford Transit Custom remain top dog in the medium van class, beating rivals including the Mercedes Vito, the Renault Trafic and the Vauxhall Vivaro? Read on to find out...

The entire Ford van range is known for its great driveability, and the latest Transit Custom is no exception. Power comes from a 2.0-litre diesel engine, called EcoBlue, with the option of 107bhp, 134bhp, 148bhp or 168bhp power outputs. 

The 134bhp and 168bhp versions are available with four-wheel drive. Otherwise, all versions are front-wheel drive.

So far, we’ve driven a version with the 148bhp engine, which is a good match for the Transit Custom. It provides plenty of performance, both low and high in the rev range, and never leaves you yearning for more power, even on motorways.

There’s a choice of the standard six-speed manual gearbox or a new – and very smooth – eight-speed automatic gearbox built in-house by Ford. The manual gearbox is impressively easy to operate thanks to a precise action for the gear change.

The Transit Custom is also available as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – we'll tell you how we rate that once we've had a chance to drive it.

Ride comfort is very good thanks to the independent rear suspension, which makes the back of the van stay planted on the road, with less bounce than in the previous version. The 16in wheels and tall tyres make light work of potholes, although the suspension does make a loud thump when you encounter them.

The front wheels have been moved forwards slightly, making the van feel more car-like in terms of driving dynamics. Body movements are kept nicely in check, plus the steering is very light, which makes this big vehicle easy to manoeuvre around town. While the steering doesn’t weight up much at higher speeds, it’s still quick and direct.

On motorways there’s a noticeable lack of wind and road noise, although there is a slight background grumble from the engine. Ford has lowered the roof slightly compared with the previous version, allowing all new Transit Customs to better fit in underground car parks.

Square steering wheels should probably have stayed in the Seventies with the Austin Allegro, but they’ve been making a comeback, and the Ford Transit Custom is the latest model to fall victim to the “hip to be square” trend.

The “squircle”, as it's been called, is just part of the story. Another innovation is the option of a steering wheel that can double as a folding table. The idea is that drivers can use it while stationary to eat lunch at the wheel or as a laptop stand (our test van didn’t have one, so we're not sure how well it works).

While the odd shape doesn’t affect your ability to steer on motorways, it is quite cumbersome to use while manoeuvring at lower speeds.

Another notable change compared with the previous version is the flat floor. In combination with the placement of the gearshift on the instrument panel, that frees up space around the central seat’s knee area. A middle-seat occupant can now sit in far greater comfort, and it's also easier for the driver to slide across and get out through the passenger door.

Standard equipment across the range includes a 13.0in infotainment touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard. It’s large and bright, but the system does require you to dive through various submenus to access certain functions, such as the radio. It’s also a shame the climate controls are now integrated into the screen, because the icons are small and distracting to use while driving. On the plus side, Ford has retained a physical knob for the stereo volume.

Directly in front of you there’s an 8.0in digital driver’s display, which can be configured to show your driver assistance functions and trip information. It’s quite basic in terms of its functionality, but very simple to use. 

All versions of the Transit Custom get a new 5G modem as standard to enable connectivity. There’s also a SYNC 4 infotainment system that now includes Amazon Alexa voice assistance and large strips of piano-black surround to smarten up the textured grey plastics.

Overall it’s an attractive cab that feels modern and spacious, although the transition from the large 13.0in infotainment touchscreen to a much smaller 8.0in digital driver's display looks a bit odd, and the positioning of the engine start button between the two doesn’t help.

The parking brake is now electronic, removing the physical lever from between the seats and further improving access, but the button placement in the central console between the air vents is another slightly unusual choice.

The Ford Transit Custom’s new underpinnings bring all-round improvements in the load area capacity, but it's not all good news.

Although the wheelbase has increased by 200mm, the length of the load bay has decreased by 160mm. The width is the same, but there’s more space between the wheelarches. There’s also a small increase in the usable height of the loadspace.

Overall, that means the storage space has decreased from 6m³ to 5.8m³ for the short-wheelbase Transit Custom L1, and remains at 6.8m³ for the longer L2 model. Those are the same volumes as the Renault Trafic offers.

Despite that small drop in size, the rear is actually more usable for a number of reasons. The increased length of the load-through hatch allows L2 vans to transport lengths of up to 3.45m.

The model also has a lower floor height for loading, and there's a new side step through the rear sliding door to improve access. Ford says the Transit Custom has a class-leading side load aperture of 1030mm x 1301mm.

Importantly, the bulkhead doesn’t eat into the load area in the same way as it does in the Citroën Dispatch, the Peugeot Expert and the Vauxhall Vivaro.

Payload is now up to 1,406kg for the 3.2-tonne gross vehicle weight L1 van, and towing capacity is 2.5 tonnes. For context, the Dispatch, Expert and Vivaro have a slightly lower payloads, but similar towing capacities.

Up front, there have been more storage gains – the most obvious being the cavernous compartment above the regular glovebox. The door pockets are larger than before, there are cupholders at each of the A-pillars, and you'll find small storage spaces in the central part of the dashboard.

Standard equipment levels in the Ford Transit Custom are among the best in the medium van class. For example, the entry-level van gets pre-collision assist, lane-keeping, traffic-sign recognition, intelligent speed assist, auto high beam, front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera.

Additional systems include intelligent adaptive cruise control, cross-traffic alert, reverse brake assist, exit warning, active park assist and a 360-degree view camera.

There's also a system called Delivery Assist, which is designed to speed up deliveries by automating actions like switching on the hazard lights, closing windows and locking the doors when the driver leaves the van.

Prices have increased over the previous generation, with a hike of around 10%, which has pushed the Transit Custom – which is available in Leader, Trend and Limited trims – into a higher price bracket. Despite that, it still undercuts the Citroën Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Vauxhall Vivaro on pricing. 

Average fuel economy figures for the 2.0-litre diesel engine range from 34.0mpg (for the 168bhp automatic with four-wheel drive) to 40.9mpg (for the 107bhp manual front-wheel drive version), according to official WLTP figures. That's in line with most other medium vans.

For the plug-in hybrid (PHEV), fuel economy figures lift to 176mpg because it can travel on electric-only power for 35 miles, according to official tests. The key rival for this version is the LEVC VN5, which is a range-extender hybrid (a bit like a PHEV) and officially returns 382.8mpg, with an electric-only range of 73.4 miles. 

Warranty wise, Ford covers the Transit Custom for three years or up to 60,000 miles – whichever comes first. That’s slightly less than Renault, Vauxhall and Volkswagen (which cover for three years or 100,000 miles), while Nissan extends the cover to five years, although still limited to 100,000 miles. Mercedes doesn’t place a mileage limit on its three-year cover.

Read more: How we test vans

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